Two games, the only thing the Pelicans could learn from to win was the first half of the second game.

They controlled the tempo and played a positional game, not letting the Warriors speed up, and in the end, the two sides were evenly matched.

If they could play like that for the whole game, as Tang Tian and Williams discussed before the last game, they would have a good chance of winning.

But Kerr brought out the small lineup and killed the game.

So, to win, they had to find a way to deal with the small lineup.

The only way Tang Tian could think of was to draw on the experience of the first half of the last game.

The Pelicans' advantage over the Warriors is in the paint.

Jokic can create space in positional warfare and is not afraid of Bogut's type of player, and Davis also has an advantage in his matchup with Green.

*Shi Ji* (Records of the Grand Historian) *—Tian Ji's Horse Racing* says to use your strengths to attack your opponent's weaknesses. No matter how the Pelicans adjust, the principle must be to maximize their advantages as much as possible.

So, a positional game is a must, and it must be against the Warriors' small lineup.

The characteristics of the small lineup on the defensive end are that they can quickly double-team and help defend, and they can switch defenses infinitely.

But the ultimate goal of these characteristics is to push the conversion speed and play defensive counterattacks.

How many of Curry's three-pointers and assists come from offensive and defensive transitions.

This is also the characteristic of modern basketball in the small-ball era.

So, to deal with the small lineup, the most important thing is to suppress the Warriors' speed, just like they did in the first half of the second game.

So, based on this, the necessary point is that Jokic cannot enter the paint.

Jokic is the slowest in the Pelicans' regular lineup. If he wants to keep up with the speed of retreat, he absolutely cannot enter the paint.

This way, he can at least defend Green.

The remaining Holiday and Ariza mainly defend Curry and Thompson and cannot press too far forward.

After analyzing the details one by one, Tang Tian came to the only way the Pelicans could play.

Jokic holds the ball at the arc, Holiday is at the forty-five-degree three-point line on the left or right side, Ariza creates space in the two corners, and he and Davis directly go to the low post for one-on-one play.

This formation can maximize space, limit the Warriors' help defense rotation as much as possible, and maximize low-post offensive efficiency;

More importantly, the retreat speed of this formation will be very fast, which can limit the Warriors' best offensive and defensive transition.

Of course, other details of this strategic play, such as who will rush for rebounds after an unsuccessful attack and who will retreat, need to be further refined.

But at least that's the way.

Back in New Orleans the next day, Williams arranged a closed-door daily training session.

The players' morale was not high, and even the head coach, Williams, was frowning.

It could be seen that the team's current situation was really bad.

After the training, Tang Tian and Williams discussed his new ideas in the office.

Williams was very excited after listening. Although he was not very good at tactics, he was not stupid.

And he has always been a coach willing to accept suggestions.

In the second day's training session, Williams arranged relevant training.

The team's morale has obviously rebounded.

The Pelicans made it to the Western Conference Finals and made it through a 1-3 comeback. The players' mentality has grown a lot.

The slump was because they were at a loss, but now that they have a solution, their morale will naturally return.

Moreover, Demps and Lausa also came to the team at the right time to give the players a wave of encouragement.

Although morale could not return to what it was before the series started, it was enough.

The one-and-a-half-day training session ended with good results.

This is not a systematic tactic, just some adjustments in the details, and there is time.

That night, the third game of the Western Conference Finals between the Warriors and the Pelicans kicked off at the New Orleans Arena.

The arena was packed.

Having experienced a 1-3 comeback, New Orleans fans are enthusiastically supporting the Pelicans.

They could come back from 1-3 down, so 0-2 is nothing!

The TNT Big Three reappeared at the arena commentary booth.

This year, TNT has contracted all the playoff commentary tasks, and the Big Three have appeared very frequently.

"I like that guy Draymond, that feeling of you can't beat me, you can only watch me show off."

Barkley indirectly stated his position at the beginning of the game.

Although joining O'Neal and winning felt good, this method always made him feel uncomfortable.

So, given the opportunity, he still had to beat O'Neal openly once.

After all, he is the top player on TNT.

"So you think the Pelicans can't win a game?"

O'Neal asked directly.

"What do you think they can win with? Don't tell me home court, the Warriors haven't lost a game in the playoffs!"

Barkley really has a big mouth, and he doesn't leave any room for himself when he speaks.

"Okay, okay, I knew you would say that, Kenny, what do you think?"

O'Neal was used to Barkley's dead pig not afraid of boiling water, and turned to ask Smith.

"If the Pelicans don't have a good enough response, it will be difficult for them to win."

Smith is the most cautious and professional of the three, but he is still optimistic about the Warriors this time.

"See, Shaq, this time unless you join me and Kenny, you're bound to lose!"

Barkley had a smile on his face.

O'Neal laughed along.

He didn't refute Barkley again, because reason told him that it was indeed difficult for the Pelicans to win.

This Warriors team really subverted his understanding of basketball. In his subconscious, it is impossible to win the NBA championship by relying on shooting alone, but the Warriors are gradually changing his view.

The game is about to begin, and the players from both sides are coming to the court one after another.

Before warming up, the Pelicans players shouted slogans together.

Their morale looked good.

O'Neal felt a little more confident when he saw this.

He remembered that the Pelicans had won several games with high morale, no matter how difficult the situation was.

This is a positive signal.

The opening ceremony began, and both sides used their regular lineups.

Although the Warriors won the last game with the small lineup, Kerr seemed to still have confidence in his regular lineup.

Bogut won the jump ball against Davis, officially kicking off the third game of the Western Conference Finals.

The Pelicans' morale was good, and their defense was in place from the beginning.

Thompson's final three-point shot was interfered with, Davis grabbed the defensive rebound, and the Pelicans successfully defended the Warriors' attack.

Holiday dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and passed the ball to Jokic, and the other Pelicans players gradually settled into position.

It was at this time that everyone saw the Pelicans' tactical changes.

The ball was finally given to Davis. The Warriors shrunk, Davis passed the ball back to Holiday, Curry went back, and Holiday passed it in again.

After receiving the ball for the second time, Davis quickly turned around and hit Green.

Green's defense is key to the Warriors' small lineup.

It is not a small lineup on the court now, but his ability to hold people is still there.

However, Davis' one-on-one is not the kind of hard resistance, but a flowing style.

He turned directly to the baseline and leaned back for a shot.

"Swish!"

The arc of the ball was very high, but it still steadily fell into the net.

The Pelicans scored first!